Nostalgia & History > Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe forever...

…etched in stone

Apparently the consortium of Santa Fe officers who brought about the construction of the original Eastern Lines HQ building at 9th & Jackson Sts in Topeka were planning on their upstart railroad staying around on a permanent basis. So indicates the exterior stone lettering visible from Jackson Street. But they eventually outgrew their iconic Topeka HQ. In 1982 Santa Fe broke ground for a larger, more modern General Office Building. By 1985 the old building would belong to the State of Kansas. And 10 years later a merger would place…

1. 2. & 3. Just as this montage indicates: “Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe” with some judicious photo-editing!

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I went across Jackson Street to the Kansas State Capital grounds and shot head-on, medium telephoto trying for for a level image. But photo-editing? Except for the oddball, wafer-thin composition, not so much…

4. A classic RR name for the ages! But by 1985 this exquisite stonework would be orphaned, still attached to what would be the “Landon State Office Building”…
(Photos 1-4 taken in Topeka, KS on December 1, 2011)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/23 01:46 by santafe199.

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A couple of scenes from 1982 and beyond:

5. From atop the Eastern Lines GOB was an iconic Topeka landmark seen from the south & the east for many, many years!
(photo taken in Topeka, KS on April 23, 1982)

6. Ground has been broken for the new GOB at 10th & Quincy Streets.
(photo taken in Topeka, KS on November 7, 1982)

7. Completed by 1985 the new GOB was called “One Santa Fe Plaza” (920 SE Quincy Street), and is now a BNSF residence. This image taken from nearly the same spot as #6 above.
(photo taken in Topeka, KS on December 2, 2012)

Ship & Travel Santa Fe… all the way!
Lance Garrels
santafe199



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/23 01:49 by santafe199.

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Looks like the headquarters was close enough to the capitol building to keep the legislature under their thumb.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Some beautiful cornice detail on the old GOB too, with the fabled cross emblem!
The new office building has a great collection of merger railroad flags!
It's very hard to photograph them, as they mostly stay unfurled.
Thanks for the cool neon sign shot!  I remember it from my youth.

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I remember the old building quite well as my grandfather worked there many years.